Endless Love (2014)

Endless Love Synopsis

Endless Love stars Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike) and Gabriella Wilde (The Three Musketeers) in the story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart.

Youthful love is a common trope in cinema, and when done correctly, can feel timely, eternal and touching. When not done correctly, it can end up like the 2014 remake of Endless Love, a tale of two lovebirds that consistently feels aged, stilted and inappropriate.

Looking to Winter's Tale, Endless Love and About Last Night for inspiration, we've pulled together a selection of romance movies, from the fantastical to the comedic to the dramatic. All in time for Valentine's Day!

Not a great week of movies. This is for sure a quantity over quality thing happening. And except for a robotic police officer, there is plenty a cornball love-dovey stuff for the Valentine’s Day crowd with tales of winter, endless love and stories about last night.

I don’t want to say that January 2014 was a bad month for cinema, but the last time I saw something that rotten, I was arrested for desecrating 13 cemeteries. Luckily, I got out on good behavior just long enough to celebrate with readers how superlative February’s theatrical releases will be in comparison.

The film stars Alex Pettyfer as a handsome rogue who charms a gorgeous blonde (Gabriella Wilde) into an instant, passionate romance. Stop me if you have heard this one before. She comes from wealth and privilege. He’s from the wrong-ish side of the tracks.

She's a brainy bookworm, who has been too busy studying to notice boys. Yet, she can't help but notice the strapping Axelrod, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks who has a criminal past and casually steals cars for joyrides. Despite their different backgrounds, the two can't fight their shared attraction.

Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde will play the roles made notorious by Martin Hewitt and Brooke Shields in the remake, and they are joined by co-stars Robert Patrick, Bruce Greenwood, Rhys Wakefield, Dayo Okeniyi, Emma Rigy and Joely Richardson. Get ready for a heart-filled advertising campaign complete with Hallmark tie-ins.

Based on the film inspired by the novel by Scott Spencer, Endless Love unfolds the tumultuous romance of teenagers Jade Butterfield and David Axelrod. In the original movie, her parents were bohemians, his wealthy political activists. But one of the first signs of distinction we're seeing with the remake is revealed with Greenwood and Patrick's casting.

Okeniyi has entered into talks to join Universal Picture's remake of the 1981 drama Endless Love. Re-imagined by Gossip Girl writer Joshua Safran, the remake's script was given a polish pass by Country Strong writer-director Shana Feste, who is also set to helm.

In 1981, Brooke Shields followed up her iconic turn in The Blue Lagoon with the teen-centered romance Endless Love. This Franco Zeffirelli film helped cement Shields as a star. Now history might repeat itself as the Endless Love remake has snagged a gorgeous young ingénue of its own, with a handsome leading ingendude to boot!

The names include Gabriella Wilde, from the recent Three Musketeers remake and the upcoming Carrie remake (Do you see a pattern here?); Sarah Bolger, from Once Upon a Time and The Tudors; Sophie Lowe, an Australian actress who was in the controversial and enjoyable series The Slap

Endless love was first adapted in 1981. That drama was directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starred Brooke Shields and featured the Oscar-nominated Lionel Richie ballad "Endless Love." At this stage there are no stars attached to this Endless love, and no mention is made of how closely Safran's script adheres to Spencer's original story.

Anyone who has seen the original Endless Love can probably agree it's a creepy five car pile-up, but, is the guy who co-created dramatic television train wrecks like The O.C. and Gossip Girl capable of doing any better?